John Babcock (musician)
Encyclopedia
John F. Babcock is a singer, songwriter
and musician
who currently performs and records in the central Florida
area. Babcock has produced 10 studio albums spanning different styles, thoughts, hobbies and moments of his life, some having been recorded in the famed Abbey Road Studios
. He has performed as Paul McCartney
in Beatlemania
's 2001 tour and as John Lennon
during some of their 90's shows. He has also played as Paul McCartney and John Lennon in The British Invasion
found playing regularly at Disney's Epcot
Center. In 2008, Babcock completed his 11 year run with The British Invasion performing over 15,000 shows for more than 1 million people. He is now a freelancing solo artist and a Sir Paul McCartney impersonator. He has recently completed a series of interviews for "The Valley" Ligonier radio streaming stereo station online 24-7. John also recently played for the first time with Canada's Classic Albums Live
performing with the troupe at The Duncun Theater in Palm Beach, Florida
. The show was The Beatles
"Revolver
" where John played bass and sang.
, New York to a Korean War
U.S. Navy Vet and jazz drummer. At age six, his father introduced him to the drums, teaching him various styles of Rock
, Jazz
, Latin and Swing. Babcock was considered a prodigy on the drums before his age reached double-digits. He grew up in the golden ages of the 60's enjoying the music which encompassed it, falling in love with The Beatles
. Lifelong, he has pursued his ideal of writing catchy, well-constructed pop gems in a similar style to the Fab Four (and other favored artists). Having already mastered drums, John turned his attention toward other instruments. Acquiring a bass guitar from a friend in middle school, John proceeded to absorb every McCartney-esque bass run and styling.
By the time he had reached high school his reputation within his local community was as not just being a musician - but being the young musician in the Hudson Valley. Before his 18th birthday he had already been invited to appear on the Donny & Marie Show
and had passed the first battery of auditions to play the "Paul" role in Beatlemania on Broadway - only to have to decline both roles due to his parents' insistence that he finish his secondary education, first.
and many other top national shows. On August 14, 1977, the Corps performed at Giants' Stadium in the Meadowlands to a sold-out audience of 77,691. They also played at Shea Stadium
April 17, 1977.
(If The Love Fits Wear It) who sang background vocals on his sessions, along with session guitarist Keith Loving (Killing Me Softly. The closer I Get To You). To understand how far the industry has evolved in the time John Babcock has been in the business, one has to remember that this was a little while before cassettes were the regular, let alone digital technology. John first had to have his friends and family listen to his handiwork via a crude, self-contained tape loop machine with eager listeners sharing headphones. Also, long before the word "Indie
" carried any credibility there was John and Bob, knocking on doors, trying to earn the respect of the "big boys". John was hawked as both a solo project, under his initials: JB and also was encouraged to get involved with various group projects. At various junctures in his early career John cut his teeth as a member in good standing of bands like Spectrum, ShadowFax, Four On The Floor, and a memorable pop/early-new wave unit that he would record with called "U.S. City". Headlining at C.B.G.B.s in the early-80's to capacity crowds John penned one of his best early tunes during this period for this band; "The Car Tune".
, England to begin recording his first solo album at the famed EMI
Abbey Road Studios
. The finished disc, Outta De Bleu, an independent release, was a Northeast regional success with the single "Always Be Around" charting at #20 based solely on listener requests on New York radio station WGRC. However, its real magic was felt on the other side of the Atlantic where DJs in British stations spun it with fearless abandon.
In 1988, for the 25th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy
's Assassination, John composed a tribute song, "Passing the Torch," and created a video with producer Bob Suede that was aired nationally on "The Joe Franklin
Show" on WOR Channel 9. The following year, he was invited to take part in a concert celebrating the 20th anniversary of Woodstock, at the original site on Yasgar's farm in Bethel, New York. He shared the stage with Woodstock veterans Richie Havens
and Wavy Gravy
.
recording (and promo video in 1967) out of a closet where it had been shut away for years, and pressed its retuned carcass back into service on a tune that he had written as his personal statement regarding the starving masses in Africa: "Through Their Eyes".
The bulk of the "Abbey" sessions would form the majority of JB's debut album, "Outta De Bleu". Some of his best songwriting efforts would surface here, including "Always Be Around", "Through Their Eyes" and such unforgettable pop high points as "Pennies In Her Eyes", "So Complicated", "I Don't Need You All That Bad" and the salsa-inspired single: "Singer Without A Song", which became Mr. Babcock's second music video
.
-like muse. He and Bob originally settled on the name "Justin Case", however, after a long, introspective consideration he decided to scrap that in favor of the first name, simply: Justin. It was under this name that he released his long-awaited follow up for "Bleu". Again, a strong album with solid hooks and great melodies all over the place, the compilation gave us one of John's best tunes yet: "This Thing Called Love".
There were more trips to England; songs were placed on European television. A tune he had written, purely as a labor of love for his favorite historic figure, John Kennedy, upon the 25th Anniversary of his assassination, was turned into a heartfelt video homage which premiered on the nationally syndicated Joe Franklin
television program. In short, John Babcock was never without a project to bury himself in.
When John relocated to Orlando, Florida
in 1990, he immersed himself in the local music scene, performing as a solo acoustic act that garnered him a nomination for Best Solo Performer by Central Florida's #1 music showcase, "the Jammy's" John's accomplishments continued to pile up. Among many of the musicians he had either collaborated with or had play on his recordings were Rainbow guitar-god Joe Lynn Turner
, Billy Joel
drummer Liberty DeVitto
and even an impromptu stage jam with actor John Goodman
.
John finally began billing himself under his birth name and returned to Abbey Road Studios in 1991 to begin sessions for his fourth album, Mathew Street
. He composed, performed and produced the disc and enlisted the vocal, lead guitar and engineering talents of friend David Mikeal. The single "Mathew Street" was released in Germany
on Deep Cut Records in 1996 and received heavy airplay and excellent reviews. Furthermore, with its success, a music video was created to promote the album. It features scenes of Europe and famous Beatles landmarks (as well as a brief scene with original Beatles manager, Allan Williams
.) Besides the irresistible title cut, there were other breathtaking moments such as "Deep In The Heart", "Watching The World" and the moody, emotional "Wet Road". Steadfastly remaining centered in Central Florida, though, the album lacked the NYC-backed push that would have made it a college airplay staple. Still, hailed by friends, family and fans alike, it remains one of his best works to date.
In 1997, John joined The British Invasion, a Beatles/'60s tribute show at Walt Disney World's EPCOT Center U.K. Pavilion. He also toured with the cast of Beatlemania, performing 18 concerts in 14 U.S. cities.
and ambient
music as well as writing for television and movies. Just recently he was able to add the title "author" to his impressive list of credits as Drum World Magazine deigned his touching recollection of his father's storied influence on his choice of Gretsch Drums
found life as a featured article in the widely read industry periodical. John composed and recorded four more albums: "Life through the Looking Glass Vol. 1", an intricate assortment of creative instrumental compositions.
"17 Castle Heights" and "The Gnomes of Marydell", which mine the inner recesses of his childhood and his search for inner peace through exploring his family's routes ("It Was Only An Irishman's Dream"). Prior to the latter, he explored his childhood penchant for "scary movies" with the quirky but definitely rocking ode to late-night, Saturday Evening monster movie broadcasts with "Chiller Theatre" featuring guests Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow
, Deep Purple
) and Liberty DeVitto (Billy Joel
Band). Finally, the funky, upbeat album "Nothin' Mo' Betta". He also played with Byrds' founder and Rock n' Roll Hall of Famer, Rodger McGuinn for the Orlando Ballet fundraiser concert in 2002.
During 2003-2004, John saw the release of two albums of his earliest recordings, 1st Sessions and Hackensack Daze. He recorded and released The Gnomes of Marydell in 2005, a DVD electronic press kit (EPK) and a "best of" CD entitled Reel Music: A Collection. In 2006, he released CDs from his two original bands, US City and 4 on the Floor. He also released a CD and DVD of the many legendary Hawthorne Muchachos performances.
In 2008, John Released his 10th CD of original songs entitled "It Is What It Is".
In 2010, John has a compilation album in the works entitled "A State of Pop" which consists of his most catchy pop hits and singles spanning throughout his 1983-2008 material.
Songwriter
A songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
who currently performs and records in the central Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
area. Babcock has produced 10 studio albums spanning different styles, thoughts, hobbies and moments of his life, some having been recorded in the famed Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
. He has performed as Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
in Beatlemania
Beatlemania (musical)
Beatlemania was a Broadway musical revue focused on the music of The Beatles as it related to the events and changing attitudes of the tumultuous Sixties...
's 2001 tour and as John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
during some of their 90's shows. He has also played as Paul McCartney and John Lennon in The British Invasion
United Kingdom (Epcot)
The United Kingdom pavilion is part of the World Showcase within Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort.-Layout:The United Kingdom Pavilion, designed to look like a typical British village, looks like 1/100 villages that are in the UK, although it could be argued that it is more stereotypical, with...
found playing regularly at Disney's Epcot
Epcot
Epcot is a theme park in the Walt Disney World Resort, located near Orlando, Florida. The park is dedicated to the celebration of human achievement, namely international culture and technological innovation. The second park built at the resort, it opened on October 1, 1982 and was initially named...
Center. In 2008, Babcock completed his 11 year run with The British Invasion performing over 15,000 shows for more than 1 million people. He is now a freelancing solo artist and a Sir Paul McCartney impersonator. He has recently completed a series of interviews for "The Valley" Ligonier radio streaming stereo station online 24-7. John also recently played for the first time with Canada's Classic Albums Live
Classic Albums Live
Classic Albums Live is a concert series based in Toronto, Ontario, in which musicians perform a classic rock album in its entirety. The series was founded in 2003 by Craig Martin, a musician who had previously produced a series of boutique cabaret shows as well as composed music for television and...
performing with the troupe at The Duncun Theater in Palm Beach, Florida
Palm Beach, Florida
The Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...
. The show was The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
"Revolver
Revolver (album)
Revolver is the seventh studio album by the English rock group The Beatles, released on 5 August 1966 on the Parlophone label and produced by George Martin. Many of the tracks on Revolver are marked by an electric guitar-rock sound, in contrast with their previous LP, the folk rock inspired Rubber...
" where John played bass and sang.
Musician's Roots
Babcock was born in NyackNyack
Nyack may refer to:*Nyack, New York, a village*Nyack College, located in the village*USS Nyack, the name of two U.S. Navy vessels...
, New York to a Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
U.S. Navy Vet and jazz drummer. At age six, his father introduced him to the drums, teaching him various styles of Rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
, Jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
, Latin and Swing. Babcock was considered a prodigy on the drums before his age reached double-digits. He grew up in the golden ages of the 60's enjoying the music which encompassed it, falling in love with The Beatles
The Beatles
The Beatles were an English rock band, active throughout the 1960s and one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music. Formed in Liverpool, by 1962 the group consisted of John Lennon , Paul McCartney , George Harrison and Ringo Starr...
. Lifelong, he has pursued his ideal of writing catchy, well-constructed pop gems in a similar style to the Fab Four (and other favored artists). Having already mastered drums, John turned his attention toward other instruments. Acquiring a bass guitar from a friend in middle school, John proceeded to absorb every McCartney-esque bass run and styling.
His family recalls how one evening his Dad's band was considering canceling a gig because their bassist couldn't make it. John, barely 11, pleaded with his father - trying in vain to convince him that he could, in fact, pull off standing in for the AWOL musician. Finally, at the urging of his fellow band members, Jack Babcock figured "What the hell, let's see what the kid's got" - and John proceeded to blow away not only the crowd at the live venue but his father's fellow band mates as well. The "kid" didn't just keep up with the arrangements (most of which he had NEVER heard before that night) but he summarily impressed with his seemingly instinctual feel for all of the tunes in the 4-plus hours of the evening's act.
~Mr. Arlen Creedy, Oak Island, North Carolina.
Pearl River Cadets
When John reached eleven, he auditioned for The Pearl River Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps and got a spot in the drumline. There, his father's instruction served him well. He performed with the Corps for six years, developing his technique and winning numerous percussion awards. In 1972, the Cadets performed for United States President, Richard M. Nixon. In 1975, the Corps won seven captions in a single competition and became the 1975 American Drum Corp and Heritage Color Guard Circuit Champions.By the time he had reached high school his reputation within his local community was as not just being a musician - but being the young musician in the Hudson Valley. Before his 18th birthday he had already been invited to appear on the Donny & Marie Show
Donny & Marie (1976 TV series)
Donny & Marie was an American variety show which aired on ABC from January 1976 to January 1979. The show stars brother and sister pop duo Donny Osmond and Marie Osmond...
and had passed the first battery of auditions to play the "Paul" role in Beatlemania on Broadway - only to have to decline both roles due to his parents' insistence that he finish his secondary education, first.
The Hawthorne Muchachos
By the fall of 1976, John joined The Muchachos from Hawthorne, New Jersey, a corps considered one of the best in the country. He played in The Muchachos snare line for two years, performing with the Corps at the CYO Nationals "Dream" Contest, the U.S. Open, the American International Open, the World OpenWorld Open
The World Open is a squash event which serves as the individual world championship for squash players. The World Open is widely considered to be one of the two most prestigious titles in squash, alongside the British Open...
and many other top national shows. On August 14, 1977, the Corps performed at Giants' Stadium in the Meadowlands to a sold-out audience of 77,691. They also played at Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
April 17, 1977.
Early Recordings
John left his drum corps days behind in 1978 when he was offered an artist development deal with Suede Productions and New Jersey producer Bob Suede - a man of indomitable faith in his young charge. Coming of age in the early, rough-and-tumble days of arena rock, Bob had built a communications empire in the then-economically-rebounding area of Hackensack, NJ. Over the next couple of years, John composed and recorded dozens of original songs, developing and refining his work. John worked with Singer songwriter Leslie PearlLeslie Pearl
Leslie Pearl is an American pop songwriter born in Pennsylvania. She wrote cover song hits for Crystal Gayle, Karen Carpenter, Kenny Rogers, and Dr. Hook, among others. She recorded one album, scoring a chart hit single with the RCA Records single, "If the Love Fits Wear It". The song peaked at #28...
(If The Love Fits Wear It) who sang background vocals on his sessions, along with session guitarist Keith Loving (Killing Me Softly. The closer I Get To You). To understand how far the industry has evolved in the time John Babcock has been in the business, one has to remember that this was a little while before cassettes were the regular, let alone digital technology. John first had to have his friends and family listen to his handiwork via a crude, self-contained tape loop machine with eager listeners sharing headphones. Also, long before the word "Indie
Indie (music)
In music, independent music, often shortened to indie music or "indie" is a term used to describe independence from major commercial record labels or their subsidiaries, and an autonomous, Do-It-Yourself approach to recording and publishing....
" carried any credibility there was John and Bob, knocking on doors, trying to earn the respect of the "big boys". John was hawked as both a solo project, under his initials: JB and also was encouraged to get involved with various group projects. At various junctures in his early career John cut his teeth as a member in good standing of bands like Spectrum, ShadowFax, Four On The Floor, and a memorable pop/early-new wave unit that he would record with called "U.S. City". Headlining at C.B.G.B.s in the early-80's to capacity crowds John penned one of his best early tunes during this period for this band; "The Car Tune".
From London to Woodstock
In 1985, John traveled to LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England to begin recording his first solo album at the famed EMI
EMI
The EMI Group, also known as EMI Music or simply EMI, is a multinational music company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the fourth-largest business group and family of record labels in the recording industry and one of the "big four" record companies. EMI Group also has a major...
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
. The finished disc, Outta De Bleu, an independent release, was a Northeast regional success with the single "Always Be Around" charting at #20 based solely on listener requests on New York radio station WGRC. However, its real magic was felt on the other side of the Atlantic where DJs in British stations spun it with fearless abandon.
In 1988, for the 25th anniversary of President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
's Assassination, John composed a tribute song, "Passing the Torch," and created a video with producer Bob Suede that was aired nationally on "The Joe Franklin
Joe Franklin
Joe Franklin is an American radio and television personality. From New York City, Franklin is sometimes credited with hosting the first television talk show...
Show" on WOR Channel 9. The following year, he was invited to take part in a concert celebrating the 20th anniversary of Woodstock, at the original site on Yasgar's farm in Bethel, New York. He shared the stage with Woodstock veterans Richie Havens
Richie Havens
Richard P. "Richie" Havens is an African American folk singer and guitarist. He is best known for his intense, rhythmic guitar style , soulful covers of pop and folk songs, and his opening performance at the 1969 Woodstock Festival.-Career:Born in Brooklyn, Havens was the eldest of nine children...
and Wavy Gravy
Wavy Gravy
Wavy Gravy is an American entertainer and activist for peace, best known for his hippie appearance, personality and beliefs. His moniker...
.
The Abbey Sessions
The first of several trips overseas, these sessions were pivotal in helping to reaffirm his pop and beat music roots; one night after a particularly exhilarating session he stopped by the famous Hippodrome where the BBC was broadcasting, live. A per chance meeting with one of the producers at the bar resulted in a spontaneous decision to air "Always Be Around" in a broadcast heard by a few million listeners. Later on, during those same sessions, upon inquiry by a star-struck Mr. Babcock, the engineers at Abbey Road actually pulled the original keyboard that John Lennon had used for the Strawberry Fields ForeverStrawberry Fields Forever
"Strawberry Fields Forever" is a song by The Beatles, written by John Lennon and attributed to the Lennon–McCartney songwriting partnership. It was inspired by Lennon's memories of playing in the garden of a Salvation Army house named "Strawberry Field" near his childhood home."Strawberry Fields...
recording (and promo video in 1967) out of a closet where it had been shut away for years, and pressed its retuned carcass back into service on a tune that he had written as his personal statement regarding the starving masses in Africa: "Through Their Eyes".
The bulk of the "Abbey" sessions would form the majority of JB's debut album, "Outta De Bleu". Some of his best songwriting efforts would surface here, including "Always Be Around", "Through Their Eyes" and such unforgettable pop high points as "Pennies In Her Eyes", "So Complicated", "I Don't Need You All That Bad" and the salsa-inspired single: "Singer Without A Song", which became Mr. Babcock's second music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
.
A Fresh Start in Florida
By the late 80's John was leaning toward scrapping the JB moniker. He felt a need to start anew, having ended a long-term relationship and dealing with the depression surrounding that and the terminal illness that would eventually rob him of his Dad, and mentor, Jack, John elected to go with a "character", very much in the style of a David BowieDavid Bowie
David Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
-like muse. He and Bob originally settled on the name "Justin Case", however, after a long, introspective consideration he decided to scrap that in favor of the first name, simply: Justin. It was under this name that he released his long-awaited follow up for "Bleu". Again, a strong album with solid hooks and great melodies all over the place, the compilation gave us one of John's best tunes yet: "This Thing Called Love".
There were more trips to England; songs were placed on European television. A tune he had written, purely as a labor of love for his favorite historic figure, John Kennedy, upon the 25th Anniversary of his assassination, was turned into a heartfelt video homage which premiered on the nationally syndicated Joe Franklin
Joe Franklin
Joe Franklin is an American radio and television personality. From New York City, Franklin is sometimes credited with hosting the first television talk show...
television program. In short, John Babcock was never without a project to bury himself in.
When John relocated to Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
in 1990, he immersed himself in the local music scene, performing as a solo acoustic act that garnered him a nomination for Best Solo Performer by Central Florida's #1 music showcase, "the Jammy's" John's accomplishments continued to pile up. Among many of the musicians he had either collaborated with or had play on his recordings were Rainbow guitar-god Joe Lynn Turner
Joe Lynn Turner
Joe Lynn Turner , is an American rock singer, known for his works with Rainbow, Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force, Deep Purple. From the late 1990s, he continued to perform in a large number of solo albums and other studio projects...
, Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
drummer Liberty DeVitto
Liberty DeVitto
Liberty DeVitto is an American rock drummer. He is best known as the drummer for Billy Joel, but has also played with the NYC Hit Squad and has been a session drummer on recordings of other artists.-Career:...
and even an impromptu stage jam with actor John Goodman
John Goodman
John Stephen Goodman is an American film, television, and stage actor. He is best known for his role as Dan Conner on the television series Roseanne for which he won a Best Actor Golden Globe Award in 1993, and for appearances in the films of the Coen brothers, with prominent roles in Raising...
.
John finally began billing himself under his birth name and returned to Abbey Road Studios in 1991 to begin sessions for his fourth album, Mathew Street
Mathew Street
Mathew Street is a street in Liverpool, England, best-known worldwide as the location of the Cavern Club, where The Beatles played on numerous occasions in their early career...
. He composed, performed and produced the disc and enlisted the vocal, lead guitar and engineering talents of friend David Mikeal. The single "Mathew Street" was released in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
on Deep Cut Records in 1996 and received heavy airplay and excellent reviews. Furthermore, with its success, a music video was created to promote the album. It features scenes of Europe and famous Beatles landmarks (as well as a brief scene with original Beatles manager, Allan Williams
Allan Williams
Allan Williams is a former businessman and promoter of Welsh descent. He was the original booking agent of The Beatles...
.) Besides the irresistible title cut, there were other breathtaking moments such as "Deep In The Heart", "Watching The World" and the moody, emotional "Wet Road". Steadfastly remaining centered in Central Florida, though, the album lacked the NYC-backed push that would have made it a college airplay staple. Still, hailed by friends, family and fans alike, it remains one of his best works to date.
In 1997, John joined The British Invasion, a Beatles/'60s tribute show at Walt Disney World's EPCOT Center U.K. Pavilion. He also toured with the cast of Beatlemania, performing 18 concerts in 14 U.S. cities.
Later Albums & Recent Recordings
Between 1997 and 2003, John branched out into experimentalExperimental music
Experimental music refers, in the English-language literature, to a compositional tradition which arose in the mid-20th century, applied particularly in North America to music composed in such a way that its outcome is unforeseeable. Its most famous and influential exponent was John Cage...
and ambient
Ambient music
Ambient music is a musical genre that focuses largely on the timbral characteristics of sounds, often organized or performed to evoke an "atmospheric", "visual" or "unobtrusive" quality.- History :...
music as well as writing for television and movies. Just recently he was able to add the title "author" to his impressive list of credits as Drum World Magazine deigned his touching recollection of his father's storied influence on his choice of Gretsch Drums
Gretsch Drums
Gretsch Drums is a leading drum manufacturing company, based in Ridgeland, South Carolina. Their motto is "That Great Gretsch Sound!"- History :...
found life as a featured article in the widely read industry periodical. John composed and recorded four more albums: "Life through the Looking Glass Vol. 1", an intricate assortment of creative instrumental compositions.
"17 Castle Heights" and "The Gnomes of Marydell", which mine the inner recesses of his childhood and his search for inner peace through exploring his family's routes ("It Was Only An Irishman's Dream"). Prior to the latter, he explored his childhood penchant for "scary movies" with the quirky but definitely rocking ode to late-night, Saturday Evening monster movie broadcasts with "Chiller Theatre" featuring guests Joe Lynn Turner (Rainbow
Rainbow (band)
Rainbow were an English rock band, controlled by guitarist Ritchie Blackmore from 1975 to 1984 and 1994 to 1997. It was originally established with American rock band Elf's members, though over the years Rainbow went through many line-up changes with no two studio albums featuring the same line-up...
, Deep Purple
Deep Purple
Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in Hertford in 1968. Along with Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal and modern hard rock, although some band members believe that their music cannot be categorised as belonging to any one genre...
) and Liberty DeVitto (Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
Band). Finally, the funky, upbeat album "Nothin' Mo' Betta". He also played with Byrds' founder and Rock n' Roll Hall of Famer, Rodger McGuinn for the Orlando Ballet fundraiser concert in 2002.
During 2003-2004, John saw the release of two albums of his earliest recordings, 1st Sessions and Hackensack Daze. He recorded and released The Gnomes of Marydell in 2005, a DVD electronic press kit (EPK) and a "best of" CD entitled Reel Music: A Collection. In 2006, he released CDs from his two original bands, US City and 4 on the Floor. He also released a CD and DVD of the many legendary Hawthorne Muchachos performances.
In 2008, John Released his 10th CD of original songs entitled "It Is What It Is".
In 2010, John has a compilation album in the works entitled "A State of Pop" which consists of his most catchy pop hits and singles spanning throughout his 1983-2008 material.
Current Day
John currently lives with his wife, Paige in Wekiva Hills, FL with their two lovely "mutts" Bosco and Luke. Residing in Wildwood, FL is his son, McCartney "Mac" Kellam, of whom is also talented in music. John's life is one of a busy style, but with tact, style and attitude he makes it flow smooth. As stated, John still performs throughout the central Florida area playing Paul McCartney acts and gigs filled with an assortment of timeless favorites and his own unique tunes.Studio Albums
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 1978-79 | 1st Sessions |
| 1980-83 | Hackensack Daze |
| 1986 | Outta De Bleu |
| 1990-95 | Mathew Street |
| 1999 | Life Through A Looking Glass |
| 2000-01 | 17 Castle Heights |
| 2001 | Chiller Theatre |
| 2003 | Nothin Mo Betta |
| 2005 | The Gnomes of Marydell |
| 2008 | It Is What It Is |
Compilation Albums
| Year | Title |
|---|---|
| 2005 | "Reel Music" A Collection |
| 2006 | Hawthorne Muchachos Anthology 1970-1977 (A Mabootu Production) |
| 2010 | "A State of Pop" A Best of Collection |